Grand Central Gatemen 1950s-1960s

Does anyone recall when the procedure ended of the Gatemen at Grand Central Terminal checking passengers tickets at the train gates on the Upper Level? After doing a little research I have found that this was still being done, at least for long distance trains, as late as 1953. If Hollywood is accurate it was still being done when Hitchcock's North by Northwest was filmed there in the summer of 1958, as it is a Gateman who asks the character Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) to show his ticket when he tries to board the 20th Century Limited. This is the last evidence I can find of this seemingly forgotten procedure (incidentally if you look carefully above many of the Upper Level gates, to this day you can still see some of the letters on the marble that once spelled out "ALL PASSENGERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW THEIR TICKETS AT THE GATES".)

As a note I already know that this procedure was completely separate from the "gate collection" of tickets on the lower level for rush hour commuter trains. That started around 1964 and lasted into the 1970s.

I rode the "Century" several times in the 60s and all tickets were
checked at the check-in desk on track 34.

ExNYC63 wrote:I rode the "Century" several times in the 60s and all tickets were
checked at the check-in desk on track 34.

Do you recall the year that you first rode the Century?

Also in old photos (as depicted in North by Northwest) there were brass stanchions set up in front of the gates. Do you recall anything like this?

In my youth, I "hung out" ("railfanned"?) GCT quite a bit around the mid-50's. I remember the 20th Century leaving at 6:00 from Track 34, complete with Gatemen, brass stanchions, and a giant red carpet that was ceremoniously rolled out down the platform. It was the highlight of rush hour, that's for sure. Always on the lookout for celebrities boarding.

We still used the check-in desk at Tk. 34 when i worked at GCT in the 1970's.

By that time, the only trains involved were the 2 to Chicago (all points #61 to CHI, DET, and TOR; #63 to CHI) and the Montreal Ltd.

Thanks everyone for the information. I don't like to assume anything, but it sounds as though the late 1950s may have been the end of the era of gatemen checking tickets at the gate for any trains at GCT. I guess Hitchcock caught the very end of an era at GCT with North by Northwest in this respect. Interestingly the procedure appears in an earlier Hitchcock film as well, Spellbound from 1945. There was another film, although I cannot remember the title, from around 1943 that also shows this. If anyone has more information on the subject I would appreciate it very much. Thanks.

I have a related question-- The 20th Century Limited was 12-14 cars long, judging from films that exist. Are tracks 34 and 35 long enough to hold the entire consist? Or was the train split and joined together just before departure?

There were often "Advance" Twentieth Century Limiteds (run in many sections, in other words), but I'm almost certain the entire consist fit on the appropriate tracks at GCT.

yes 34 and 35 are long enough for 14 cars plus engines same with 40-41-42 for arrivals.

bingdude wrote:I have a related question-- The 20th Century Limited was 12-14 cars long, judging from films that exist. Are tracks 34 and 35 long enough to hold the entire consist? Or was the train split and joined together just before departure?

In 1972 (or was it 1973), I recall seeing an 18 car BROADWAY LIMITED (flooding re-route, both the NYP and WAS parts of the train) sitting on track 34 at GCT. (The NATIONAL LIMITED was on track 35.) The entire consist just barely fit; the 2 T-motors were beyond the platform.

John Laubenheimer wrote:
In 1972 (or was it 1973), I recall seeing an 18 car BROADWAY LIMITED (flooding re-route, both the NYP and WAS parts of the train) sitting on track 34 at GCT. (The NATIONAL LIMITED was on track 35.) The entire consist just barely fit; the 2 T-motors were beyond the platform.

Curious about that. Where was the flood? What would the route be to get trains from the old PRR/PC in Jersey to GCT?

Ocala Mike wrote:

John Laubenheimer wrote:
In 1972 (or was it 1973), I recall seeing an 18 car BROADWAY LIMITED (flooding re-route, both the NYP and WAS parts of the train) sitting on track 34 at GCT. (The NATIONAL LIMITED was on track 35.) The entire consist just barely fit; the 2 T-motors were beyond the platform.

Curious about that. Where was the flood? What would the route be to get trains from the old PRR/PC in Jersey to GCT?

The flood was around the Johnstown PA area. The trains were at least routed through Buffalo, and probably Cleveland as well, for several days. Not very long. Once through service to Pittsburgh was restored, trains were subject to several hours of delays.

OK; gotcha. Trains were routed over a "northern" route.

John Laubenheimer wrote: In 1972 (or was it 1973), I recall seeing an 18 car BROADWAY LIMITED (flooding re-route, both the NYP and WAS parts of the train) sitting on track 34 at GCT. (The NATIONAL LIMITED was on track 35.) The entire consist just barely fit; the 2 T-motors were beyond the platform.

I would have surmised it was Hurricane Agnes --- June 1972 --- which had the Harrisburg Area under water

I'm responding to this only because I cannot overlook egregious errors.

Gatemen did not collect tickets. Tickets were collected by the sleeping car (earlier Pullman) conductor of the train. That meant that for lrains departing after 10:00, e.g. 59, they were on duty at 10:00. I wonder how that affected their basis of pay.